Watergate Dbq
DOCUMENT-BASED QUESTION
This question is based on the accompanying documents (1–5). The question is designed to test your ability to work with historical documents. Some of the documents have been edited for the purposes of the question. As you analyze the documents, take into account the source of each document and any point of view that may be presented in the document.
Historical Context: During Richard Nixon’s term of U.S Presidency, he was part of a series of scandals called The Watergate Scandals. The scandals began with the arrest of five men for breaking and entering into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office complex in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1972. Investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and later by the Senate Watergate Committee, House Judiciary Committee and the press revealed that this burglary was one of many illegal activities authorized and carried out by Nixon's staff. They also revealed the immense scope of crimes and abuses, which included campaign fraud, political espionage and sabotage, illegal break-ins, improper tax audits, illegal wiretapping on a massive scale, and a secret slush fund laundered in Mexico to pay those who conducted these operations. This secret fund was also used as hush money to buy silence of the seven men who were indicted for the June 17 break-in.
Task: Using information from the documents and your knowledge of United States history, answer the questions that follow each document in Part A. Your answers to the questions will help you write the Part B essay in which you will be asked to:
Is Nixon a crook?
How is the Watergate scandal one of the biggest of all time?
DOCUMENT 1
1. What is the significance of these newspapers?
2. According to these two newspapers which statements were made by the President?
DOCUMENT 2
1. In this document why is Nixon displayed like this ?
DOCUMENT 3
1. What is the
This question is based on the accompanying documents (1–5). The question is designed to test your ability to work with historical documents. Some of the documents have been edited for the purposes of the question. As you analyze the documents, take into account the source of each document and any point of view that may be presented in the document.
Historical Context: During Richard Nixon’s term of U.S Presidency, he was part of a series of scandals called The Watergate Scandals. The scandals began with the arrest of five men for breaking and entering into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office complex in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1972. Investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and later by the Senate Watergate Committee, House Judiciary Committee and the press revealed that this burglary was one of many illegal activities authorized and carried out by Nixon's staff. They also revealed the immense scope of crimes and abuses, which included campaign fraud, political espionage and sabotage, illegal break-ins, improper tax audits, illegal wiretapping on a massive scale, and a secret slush fund laundered in Mexico to pay those who conducted these operations. This secret fund was also used as hush money to buy silence of the seven men who were indicted for the June 17 break-in.
Task: Using information from the documents and your knowledge of United States history, answer the questions that follow each document in Part A. Your answers to the questions will help you write the Part B essay in which you will be asked to:
Is Nixon a crook?
How is the Watergate scandal one of the biggest of all time?
DOCUMENT 1
1. What is the significance of these newspapers?
2. According to these two newspapers which statements were made by the President?
DOCUMENT 2
1. In this document why is Nixon displayed like this ?
DOCUMENT 3
1. What is the